Little Lotus

Downtown Miami

In Downtown Miami—hidden behind layers of cheap watch stores, over-priced electronics, and obscure shops that sell everything from knock-off designer jeans to Hello Kitty lunch boxes—there is a network of shopping malls and courtyards unfamiliar to most. In a tiny unassuming space, tucked inside the Intercontinental Jewelry Center and specializing in Asian and Japanese tapas is Little Lotus [25 N. Miami Ave]; home to two talented chefs creating incredible dishes. Chef Inyoman Atmaja handles the hot dishes, while Chef Michael Asalie oversees the sushi bar. Chef Asalie spent time working at Morimoto’s NYC, making him all too familiar with good food and technique.  His expertise is evident from the minute your first roll arrives at the table. The restaurant is small and fills up quick so if you’re in the mood for a quick bite to eat at a peak hour, this is probably not your best bet. Little Lotus is meant to be an experience from start to finish.

When browsing through the menu it was obvious that sushi would be our focus. We finally came to a decision on an assortment of rolls and waited with anticipation for the first to arrive.  The Angel Heart started us off, a delicious combination of eel tempura, spicy tuna, avocado and mixed greens wrapped in soy paper. The roll displayed an amazing mix of textures from the crispiness of the tempura batter to the freshness of the tuna.  This was followed by a few basic rolls, a Spicy Crunchy Tuna Roll and a Snow Krab Avocado Roll; bright flavors which should not be overshadowed by the signature rolls. Next, was the Rock and Crunchy: shrimp tempura, avocado, snow krab, and masago, wrapped in soy paper and served with the chef’s special sauce; similar in texture to the Angel Heart, but with the addition of the masago and chef’s special sauce that added a touch of salty and sweet.

This was followed by a trio of “Incredible Rolls” that would live up to their name: the Flagler Roll, Big Mac, and MJ Roll. Paying homage to one of Miami’s most influential figures and its location namesake is the Flagler Roll: crunchy spicy white tuna and avocado topped with tuna, salmon, white fish, yellow tail, lemon, cilantro and yuzu miso. The lemon and cilantro give the roll a freshness that served as a palate cleanser for the rest of the meal. Chef Asalie’s version of the Big Mac replaces thoughts of stacked patties and secret sauce with layers of spicy crunchy tuna, avocado, snow krab, tobiko, and a sweet sauce. Don’t let the picture fool you; this sandwich size roll requires a fork and knife, as what you’re seeing are two pieces cut into eight manageable bite-sized portions; absolutely delicious. Last but not least, was the delectable MJ Roll: Cajun rock shrimp and avocado topped with spicy tuna, Japanese seasoning and a honey wasabi sauce.

The presentation of the meal was impeccable, the flavors flawless, and the experience memorable; all this at a very reasonable price. Venture and explore Downtown Miami; you might be surprised at what you find hidden around the corner.

Sparky’s Roadside BBQ

Downtown Miami

It’s lunch time and the usual is just not going to cut it. You jump into your ’66 GTO, crank the radio, and hit the open road. Thoughts of returning to work quickly fade as the wind cuts through your hair. The freedom of the road, the scenery, and the music overwhelm you, you’ve lost yourself in the drive and now have no idea where you are. There hasn’t been another car on the narrow dirt road for miles now. Your running low on gas, hunger is setting in, and in the distance you see smoke billowing out of a shack; at this point you’re just happy to see signs of life. You pull up and notice a hand written sign on a board: “BBQ.” What are the chances? Perfectly smoked ribs, brisket, and ice cold beers await inside. With a full stomach and a full tank of gas [did I mention this is the kind of place that doubles as a gas station? …yeah] you make your way back to the city.

If you rather avoid this overly dramatic movie sequence, make your way to Downtown Miami and stop in at Sparky’s Roadside BBQ [204 NE 1st Street] instead. From the picnic tables and bull skull, to the hand painted birdhouses covering the walls; the minute you step inside you feel like you’ve left the city.  Two chalkboards flank either end of the restaurant displaying the day’s specials and beer of the week. Here, two New York transplants are doing BBQ their way; with a good selection of all the tasty smoked meats you would expect: brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and duck, with all the usual accompaniments. To wash it down they stock an assortment of microbrews like Dogfish, Magic Hat, and Shipyard.

As we work in Downtown, we are no strangers to Sparky’s menu. We typically order our favorites: the Tyler’s Pressed Sandwich and the Grilled Fish Sandwich. The Tyler’s Pressed is a combination of beef brisket and pulled pork topped with sautéed onions, American cheese, and BBQ sauce, that is pressed to crispy perfection. The smoked meat is tender and flavorful with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce. The sandwich can stand on its own, but with house-made sauces like Sparky’s, Apple-cidar, Hoisin, and Guava-Habanero on the table, it’s tough to resist. If you like a little extra kick to your sauce ask for the Lava Sauce, it’s usually not on the table, but well worth it, just have a beer handy to cool you off. The Grilled Fish Sandwich is a tender mahi fillet, well seasoned, with a hint of lime on a toasted bun with a delicious kicked up tartar sauce on the side. The sandwiches are usually paired with coleslaw and fries. But, these could be substituted for any of their other flavorful sides, such as, spicy macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob, and stewed collard greens.

Now I couldn’t write this post without mentioning the fries, since it has been a source of pain for us and all other Sparky’s regulars we know. Sparky’s used to have seasoned waffle fries that were absolutely delicious. It didn’t matter what you got, as long as it came with a side of fries. However, for some reason they are no longer available. I’m sure there is a rational explanation for this, but we just needed them to know we miss those fries.

If you’re in the need to escape the norm—but don’t have a GTO to hit the road in—think about hitting Sparky’s Roadside BBQ. You won’t be disappointed in what you find; good food, cold microbrews, and a great environment.

Tobacco Road 12th Annual Crawfish Boil & Seafood Fest

Miami’s oldest bar is turning 100 this year and this past weekend it hosted its 12th Annual Crawfish Boil and Seafood Fest. It’s amazing to think that it has been ten years since I first came across Tobacco Road. It was a love affair from the start; from endless happy hours with buckets of Carib, Road Burgers, and amazing live music, to being where Leslie and I first met. It’s not just the personal memories, there is inherent history in this bar that you feel from the minute you step through the door.

I have to admit, this was our first time at the Road’s Crawfish Boil, but as soon as we arrived we knew it’d be a good time. This festival is not just for the crawfish enthusiast, people from all walks of life come together to enjoy good fresh seafood, cold drinks, and live music. In spite of the weather which was not cooperating at times, we—along with a few hundred people—were happy to squeeze in under the tents. At the center of the festival, the crew from Rosey Baby dished out the Mudbugs, Gumbo, and Shrimp Po’boys, while The River Seafood & Oyster Bar provided Fire Roasted Oysters. Along the perimeter, local food trucks like Ms. Cheezious, Latin Burger, and Los Chamos offered their seafood creations along with their regular fare.

As opposed to the smaller backyard boils we’ve been to, [ like this one ] the process here was slightly different. For starters, the crawfish were boiled 50 lbs a batch in two massive square kettles with metal strainers. A hoist was used to transfer the crawfish between kettles. Once cooled, they were lifted to a nearby table and given a final dusting of spice. Having to keep up with the demand of hundreds of festival goers produced short soak times, that didn’t allow the crawfish to take in enough spice. This left the heads lacking of juices and the meat a little bland. But, as the day went on the soak times increased as did the flavor being imparted to the crawfish. The price per order was $18 for about a pound of crawfish.  It seemed a bit steep, considering the average person can put down 3 to 4 lbs.

What’s a Cajun inspired festival without some live music? Taking the stage first were The Wholetones, a local band playing a cool mix of bluegrass, folk, and punk. They were followed up by a Tobacco Road staple IKO IKO with their brand of “urban swamp blues.”

Closing out the night with some cold beers, good tunes, and great company made for another memorable night at the Road. But, we couldn’t leave without having a Grilled Blue and Bacon (or two) from Ms. Cheezious, not exactly Cajun, but a temptation too good to pass up. Whether you make it out to Tobacco Road for a festival or are just stopping in after work, you are bound to have a good time making your own history and being a part of theirs.

Chorizo Shrimp and Egg Tostada

Breakfast is, without question, my favorite meal of the day. But on most days breakfast is nothing more than a glass of orange juice and the occasional bagel, as we’re running out the door. So when the weekend comes around I can’t help but take advantage of the extra time to make and enjoy a good morning meal. For this dish, inspiration came in the form of leftover dinner ingredients. A few days ago we had queso fundido with chorizo and shrimp tacos. Leaving us with plenty of Mexican ingredients in the fridge; it was only natural what direction breakfast would take. The smokiness from the paprika in the chorizo and the sweet buttery notes from the shrimp go well in any dish, but add eggs, a crispy tostada and a touch of fresh cilantro and what you’re left with is a breakfast you wish you would have made more of.

Ingredients

¼ lb ground chorizo

¼ lb shrimp

4 eggs

1 tbs butter

1 tbs sour cream

2 corn tortillas fried

vegetable oil for frying

paprika for dusting

grated cotija cheese

chopped cilantro

salt + pepper

For the Chipotle Crema

½ cup Mexican crema (sour cream works)

½ lime juiced

1 tbs chipotle adobo

Instruction

For the chipotle crema, mix the ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium, deep skillet, heat a ¼ inch of oil until hot. Fry the tortillas until golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and dust lightly with paprika. Bring a pan to medium-high heat and add the chorizo. When the chorizo starts to brown remove it from the pan and set aside. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; and cook in the pan with the chorizo drippings. When the shrimp are cooked through add the chorizo, stir and transfer to a bowl. Add butter to the pan, beat the eggs, season with salt and pepper and cook. Stirring constantly, when the eggs begin to firm up add the sour cream and continue to stir until the desired doneness is reached.

To assemble the tostada, place the tortilla on the plate, top with the eggs, shrimp, and chorizo. Finish with the chipotle cream, grated cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.



Street Food

Until recently “Miami street food” meant nothing more than hot dogs, sausages, and arepas, outside the arena on game day. But now, the national food truck trend has caught on and Miami street food has come alive. Like the rest of the nation, Miami food trucks are about elevating the notion of street food; about great chefs, good ingredients, restaurant quality food, and inspired dishes. Legendary dives are reinventing themselves with their mobile kitchens and up-and-coming chefs are using food trucks as marketing tools for their restaurants. These trucks are not only providing the typical street food fair, they are dishing out gourmet food with cultural inspirations. Food lovers are taking notice and are flocking to these trucks and following them around town, day and night.

Tuesday night we made plans to meet up with friends at BTTR, the Biscayne Triangle Truck Roundup [at Johnson and Wales University on Biscayne Boulevard], one of many food truck rallies taking place around the city. Thirty trucks meet here every week on this night for what seems to be an impromptu street festival; filled with food, music, and meandering foodies lining up at their favorite trucks to sample the menu.

Our first stop was Mr. Good Stuff, a Venezuelan inspired truck pumping out stuffed Lunas (arepas), burgers, and tostones. The truck itself served as a canvas for local artist Lebo. Now, if you think that the cartoon print is just a funky way to draw attention to the truck, all you have to do is take a peek behind the window. The inspiration and the man behind the red cap is Chef Alfredo Montero. The guy is legit and the food he’s serving up is proof of that. We went with the Sweet Caroline: a Carolina pulled pork luna topped with cheddar cheese and coleslaw; and the 4 Cheezy-My-Neezy: deep fried cheese bite made up of cheddar, gorgonzola, mozzarella and provolone with a spicy guava dipping sauce. Both were absolutely delicious. At this point, I would have been content grabbing another luna and waffle fries, and working my way through their assortment of sauces, but that wasn’t our goal today. With our sights set on sharing a sampling of as many trucks as our stomachs could handle, we moved on.

At Ms. Cheezious, the fresh made grilled cheese truck, we ordered the Goat Cheese and Prosciutto with tomato and arugula on a marble rye, while our less adventurous companions decided to create their own: a grilled bacon and cheddar. In spite of its simplicity, the bacon and cheddar was pretty good; the smoke from the bacon and sharpness of the cheddar always makes for a tasty combination, but it was definitely the Goat cheese and Prosciutto that was the standout. The creamy cheese and salty prosciutto make for the perfect marriage,  complimented and balanced by the slice of tomato.

Still hungry and ready for more, we made a stop at Arepa Box and paid homage to a Miami street food original, with a Cachapa: a tasty sweet corn arepa filled with guayanes cheese. That was followed by Che Grill, an Argentinean inspired truck where we tried one of their specialties, the Gaucho Burger. This is the kind of burger that would hit the spot at 3 in the morning after a long night of drinking. Topping this 8 oz. beef patty is everything you’d expect for breakfast: ham, bacon, a fried egg, and throw in a slice mozzarella cheese for good measure. Next up were a pair of stuffed tostones at Miso Hungry. The twice fried plantain cup served as a perfect vessel for this Asian-fusion pulled pork. The curry chicken stuffed tostón, on the other hand, was in need of complementary flavors to soften the punch of spices.

A little sluggish and about ready to throw in the towel we walked up to the Purple People Eatery. On the day’s specials was a must try, the Truffled Loaded Cheese Fries. Topped with truffle oil, cheese, bacon, scallion, and crema, these fries were delicious and definitely one of the night’s highlights. The menu is crammed with tasty creations by chefs David Shipman and Michelle Duncan, ranging from bison burgers to ginger beer battered mahi tacos. Without question, a do-over on an empty stomach.

The night was coming to an end and it was difficult to imagine having anything else, but we figured there’s always room for dessert, right? Cue Coolhaus. How could four architects pass up this architecture themed dessert truck? Reading through and giggling at the list of architect-named ice cream sandwiches like the Mies Vanilla Rohe, the Louis Ba-kahn, and BuckMINTster Fuller, we quickly realized with the awkward stares that these puns were lost on most; nonetheless, it did not deter anyone from lining up to try one of these tasty creations.  We went with the I.M. Pie-Nut Butter ice cream in a Smore’s Cookie. The peanut butter ice cream was well balanced with sweet and salty, while the graham cracker and marshmallow cookie served a good compliment and as a great last bite.

Whether you are tracking your favorite food truck on the go or catching them at one of the many truck rallies around town, you’ll always find good service, great food, and even better people.

Cochon 555

A few weeks ago I came across a culinary event called Cochon 555, the description read: “five chefs, five pigs, five winemakers”. Considering that by this point I had already pulled out my credit card to purchase tickets, there was no need to read on, but I did. Five local chefs are given a whole pig to dream up their best recipes, nose to tail. The event is casual and is meant to be interactive with high tops and prep stations. At the end of the night the audience and a panel of judges vote on the best bite. The winner gets local bragging rights and a place in the Grand Cochon competition at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. Along with the chef’s creations, wines, spirits, and brews keep your whistles wet between stations while mingling with farmers or taking in a butcher demonstration and [why not] a tattoo challenge.

The mastermind behind such a sinister event is Brady Lowe of Taste Network. With event cities including: New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, DC, Portland, Memphis, Napa, and for the first time Miami, his goal of spreading the word about heritage pigs, the farmers that breed them, and their amazing benefits to the culinary world is catching on.

Tickets in hand and grumbling stomachs we head to the Four Seasons, Brickell. The sights and smells are overwhelming. We grab a drink and set our eyes on the first table.

The Chefs

Michael Schwartz [ Michael’s Genuine ]

James Petrakis [ The Ravenous Pig ]

Michelle Bernstein [ Michy’s ]

James Strine [ Café Boulud Palm Beach ]

Aaron Brooks [ Four Seasons Hotel ]

The Wineries

Elk Cove Vineyards

Chehalem Wines

Sokol Blosser

Scholium Project

K Vintners

Notable bites included; Chef Strine’s Milk Braised Pork Shoulder, Heart Tartar, and Bacon Jam (caution: when eating bacon jam, whatever you spread it on, toast, paper plate, all will taste delicious); Chef Brooks’ Pork Belly Anticucho and Smoked Hock Ice Cream Sundae; Chef Bernstein’s Pork Ceviche, Croqueta, and PB & J; Chef Schwartz’s Scapple with Fried Quail egg and Bacon Maple Pecan Pie; and Chef Petrakis’ Head Boudin and Bacon Fat Biscotti. 

If that wasn’t enough pork for one night Yardbird’s Jeffery McInnis served up Steamed Asian Buns, Tator Tot Croquetas and Yardbird Fiddle Faddle.

The event’s promise did not disappoint, it was every bit as decadent and delicious as it sounded. With a traditional champagne toast, the much anticipated results: the winner of the Miami Cochon 555 event is…

Michelle Bernstein!